Mat Ward, a three time All-American Lacrosse player at the university of Virginia, says that playing wall ball is one of the best ways to improve your skills. He says for him the skills did not come quickly. He had to work at it. He remembers that it took him “a month or two” to just learn to cradle the ball. So his advice is stay with it. Practice daily giving an hour or more to it if you can.
Once you can run, stop, turn and reverse direction with out loosing the lacrosse ball start drills to increase your accuracy. Start as far as your field or at least fifty yards from the wall by scooping the ball from the ground. Charge the wall dodging, turning, changing direction until you get ten twenty yards from the wall, and take your shot --- over hand, side arm or under arm, same for the off hand. Place a target on the wall. Keeping practicing on that spot until you can hit it nine out of ten times. Then move the target. Cover all locations of the goal. Then catch the ricochet.
Practice catching ricochets – high, low, in the middle, right, left, straight at you, anywhere a lacrosse teammate might throw it. Practice catching bounces --- in every possible location. Pay more attention to the off hand. We usually have better coordination in the strong hand. So pay attention to the off hand.
Change the distance between you and the wall when catching ricochets. Start twenty - fifteen yards away. When you handle that well, move forward five yards, etc. It is a great exercise for improving your reaction time.
Ward says, “Patience is the key. It won’t come easy, and it didn’t come easy for me. It took me … months to get the hang of it, but once I did, my skills started to improve dramatically.”
Article by
Will Keeney
If you coach beginner through intermediate boys or girls lacrosse, I have found that PlaySports TV’s has a collection of training videos.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Lacrosse, Fastest Growing Sport in U.S.
Lacrosse, a combination of hockey, soccer, rugby and basketball, is a fast-paced, full of action exhilarating sport. Long sprints with abrupt starts and stops, precision throws and dodges are just a routine part of both men's and women's lacrosse. The diverse action what makes it the fastest growing sport in the United States. Today's lacrosse is played with ten players per side on a field 60 yards wide and 110 yards long. Generally, but not necessarily, the women's field is larger, 120 by 70 yards.
Like hockey the object of the game is to send the ball through the goal posts of the opposing team. After the starting face off, teams move the ball by throwing it and/or running with it. Quickness is a desired skill. So is accurate passing and catching with the lacrosse stick head (a "basket" on the head of the lacrosse stick). Hands are not allowed to touch the ball. The lacrosse stick must be used to move the ball. Men's lacrosse involves a lot of body contact --- pushing, shoving, hitting the opponent's lacrosse stick, maneuvering to get the ball. The rules are different for women's lacrosse and it is a quick passing running game with less body contact.
Today lacrosse is played by professional leagues, colleges, high schools, amateur clubs, youth clubs and pewee clubs. A recent count names over 600 colleges and 2,000 high school programs. Not all of these are a varsity sport; some a cub sports. But there is a movement growing to increase the number of varsity programs. In 2009 more fans watched the National Lacrosse finals than the NCAAB finals.
About the author
Will Keeney owns www.slingshotlax.com
Like hockey the object of the game is to send the ball through the goal posts of the opposing team. After the starting face off, teams move the ball by throwing it and/or running with it. Quickness is a desired skill. So is accurate passing and catching with the lacrosse stick head (a "basket" on the head of the lacrosse stick). Hands are not allowed to touch the ball. The lacrosse stick must be used to move the ball. Men's lacrosse involves a lot of body contact --- pushing, shoving, hitting the opponent's lacrosse stick, maneuvering to get the ball. The rules are different for women's lacrosse and it is a quick passing running game with less body contact.
Today lacrosse is played by professional leagues, colleges, high schools, amateur clubs, youth clubs and pewee clubs. A recent count names over 600 colleges and 2,000 high school programs. Not all of these are a varsity sport; some a cub sports. But there is a movement growing to increase the number of varsity programs. In 2009 more fans watched the National Lacrosse finals than the NCAAB finals.
About the author
Will Keeney owns www.slingshotlax.com
Monday, December 13, 2010
Lacrosse --- the Fastest Growing Youth Sport
Lacrosse, truly an American continent game, is the fastest growing sport in the United States.
Its origin, around 500 AD, was with the tribes of the Native American societies. Then the game was played to resolve conflicts, heal the sick, develop strong, virile men and prepare for war. Legend tells of games with more than 100 players from different tribes taking turns to play. It could be played on a field many miles in length and width; sometimes the game could last for days. Early lacrosse balls were large and hairy made of deerskin, clay, stone, and sometimes wood.
Today the game is quite different. It is a team sport, which requires skill, strategies, finesse, endurance and determination. Today the game is played with safety padding and helmets, a rubber ball, a stick with a mesh "head" atop a stick used to throw, catch and run with the ball. The object is to get the ball into the opponents net. Rather than the field of play being miles long, present day lacrosse is played on a field 60 yards wide and 110 yards long.
Lacrosse during the 1990's had primarily been a regional sport centered in and around the east coast, more common in areas such as Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In the last half of the 20th century, the sport continued further growth west of this region in smaller areas, including the Midwest, such as Ohio and Texas as well as the west coast, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.
In the past ten years a number of youth programs in every region of the United States have developed. The game demands teamwork, co-operation between players, athleticism, endurance, determination and skill. Like soccer the player is constantly on the move. It is very fast paced and great exercise. It gets kids away from computer games, outside and involved with other kids.
If you child or youth is interested, get him a good training stick, a practice ball and a rebound net. Soon his friends will be asking their parents for a lacrosse stick.
Article by Bill Keeney
Its origin, around 500 AD, was with the tribes of the Native American societies. Then the game was played to resolve conflicts, heal the sick, develop strong, virile men and prepare for war. Legend tells of games with more than 100 players from different tribes taking turns to play. It could be played on a field many miles in length and width; sometimes the game could last for days. Early lacrosse balls were large and hairy made of deerskin, clay, stone, and sometimes wood.
Today the game is quite different. It is a team sport, which requires skill, strategies, finesse, endurance and determination. Today the game is played with safety padding and helmets, a rubber ball, a stick with a mesh "head" atop a stick used to throw, catch and run with the ball. The object is to get the ball into the opponents net. Rather than the field of play being miles long, present day lacrosse is played on a field 60 yards wide and 110 yards long.
Lacrosse during the 1990's had primarily been a regional sport centered in and around the east coast, more common in areas such as Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. In the last half of the 20th century, the sport continued further growth west of this region in smaller areas, including the Midwest, such as Ohio and Texas as well as the west coast, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.
In the past ten years a number of youth programs in every region of the United States have developed. The game demands teamwork, co-operation between players, athleticism, endurance, determination and skill. Like soccer the player is constantly on the move. It is very fast paced and great exercise. It gets kids away from computer games, outside and involved with other kids.
If you child or youth is interested, get him a good training stick, a practice ball and a rebound net. Soon his friends will be asking their parents for a lacrosse stick.
Article by Bill Keeney
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Debeer Gait Icon Lacrosse Stick
Model: AC-1071399
Product Details: Top load offset provides ultimate feel when developing skills. Exceptional durability and strength-to-weight ratio.Modern lacrosse stick at an affordable price. This is an excellent stick for the young developing player.
http://www.slingshotlax.com/TrainingTools.php
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Football Ends, Lacrosse Begins
While visiting our grandson, his football team played for the Freshman championship in his conference. The very next day he started lacrosse practice. In his school district the sport is a club, not an official varsity sport (We are working on that). I had a great time slinging shots at him while he protected the goal. What a great sport and what a physical work out. His travel team will head to Tampa for a post Christmas tournament. He and his dad are the reasons I developed http://www.SlingShotLax.com There is a need for quality equipment at wholesale prices.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Working on Facebook and Twitter Commercial Pages
I have added Facebook and Twitter Commercial Pages for three of my eCommerce Stores:
http://www.slingshotlax.com
http://www.wmkfitness.com
http://www.wmkfitness.com
I would appreciate you visiting can comments related to design. I am open to suggestions.
Bill Keeney
http://www.slingshotlax.com
http://www.wmkfitness.com
http://www.wmkfitness.com
I would appreciate you visiting can comments related to design. I am open to suggestions.
Bill Keeney
Monday, October 4, 2010
Lacrosse Gear for the New Player - Great Gift Idea
The Battle Series Performance Pack features all the pads a player will need to get started in the game. Each pack contains a pair of nylon gloves, arm pads and full sternum protection shoulder pads. Neatly packaged in a Onyx Lacrosse backpack with enough room to carry all of your pads, a helmet, cleats, a water bottle and your stick, making it easy to get to and from practice.
For more information go to:
http://www.slingshotlax.com
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